Lacing-hook.



No. 650,48l. Patented May 29, |900. F. H. REES.

LACING HOOK.

(Application filed Oct. 23, 1899.)

grauw/toa PATENT OFFICE.

FRED HOLMES Runs, or ELMIRA, New YORK.

LACING-'Hoo-K.

srncrrrcnricn farming part of Letters Patent No. 650,481, dated May '29, 1900. Application filed October 23, 1899.v Serial No. 734,470. (No model.)

To ctZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED HOLMES Runs, a resident of Elmira, in the county of Cliemung and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Lacing- Hooks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to hooks for lacing shoes, gloves, gaiters, andleggings, and for other like purposes; and ithas for its object to provide a simple, efficient, and durable article that will hold lacing in a yielding, elastic, and sufficiently-firm manner, whereby a satisfactory laced closure can be produced and" maintained without uncomfortably and injuriously binding the ankle, wrist, or other part of the person upon which the laced article is worn.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and pointed out.

Inthe accompanying drawings, Figure I is a front elevation, partly in section. Fig. 2 is alongitudinalsection. Fig. 3 is a perspective of a spring. Fig. 4 is a perspective of a lacingprotector to cover the spring. Fig. 5 ,is a similar view of a spring provided integrally with lacing-protectors. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the device made from a single piece of wire.

Numeral l denotes the shank of a hook, which shank is preferably tubular., as indicated, and is virtually an eyelet, wherebythe hook is fixed to any desired article tomary.

2 is a pin or rivet fixed transversely in the upper end of the eyelet-shank.

3 denotes a spring, preferably of steel wire. Each end of the spring is provided with a coil 4, surrounding the pin and having an end or extension 5 bearing upon the hook-shank or eyelet, as represented. The main part of the wire is bent to form a loop or frame 6, havng side members G', joined by a straight mem- 8 denotes a groove or Way formed in the inner face of the point 9 of the hook. Said groove-'receives the member 7, which can 5o freely play back and forth therein between the positions indicated by the full and dotted l.

l lines'in Fig. 2. When not compressed, the

, as cus-il spring-frame is situated as indicated by full lines in said ligure; but under pressure it may be driven hack to the position of the dotted lines. In practice this spring may have a movement of about one-eighth of an inch, and since a like yielding movement may be produced in its fellow immediately opposite there4 can be an eiipansion and contraction of about one-fourth of an inch between each pair of opposite hooks, and as this is true of every pair of oppositely-adjacent hooks it is obvious that the article laced is held upon the person in manner to easily yield to variation of size and. change of form caused by muscular' exertion, heat and cold, and variable blood circulation. This in a shoe, for example, gives an ease and comfort such as pertains tothe so-called Congress shoe or to a low shoe Without the objectionable features of either. The ankles inclosed by shoes laced by the aid of the improved hooks are free to move, While they are closelycovered.

The form of the springis such that it readily receives the lacing when wound about the hooks in the usual manner, but is not liable to accidentally catch other objects, nor is it liable to become disarranged, bent, or malformed, as are the coiled springs which have lacing-buttons on their free ends.

To. prevent the lacing. from being out or worn by the spring-arms, it is preferred to iiatten and round them, as indicated at 10 in Fig.

i l y5. These comparatively-Wide portions of the spring present curved surfaces to the lacing and provide that it may sli p easily without injury by chafing.

In some cases a separate cover ll having bent' edges I2 to embrace the side arms of the springt-frame may be employed as an antifrictionguard,though the form first described has the advantage of cheapness and simplicity.

It is contemplated in some cases to make the hook and spring integrally of a single piece of wire bent into suitable form, as shown in Fig. 6. Such form is not preferred, but it may have a novel ornamental effect, particularly when made of precious metal, and it embodies the same principle of operation.

ldenotes extensions for securing the articlek-,tola fabric or to leather, and I4 the hook rrope- 15 denoies spring-coils, and 16 is the springframe.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim isl. A lacing-hook having a sprin g extending from its shank to its outer part and adapted to directly receive lacing Wound about the hook.

2. A lacing-hook having a sprin g extending from its shank to its outer part and adapted to directly receive lacing Wound about the hook, said spring having side arms connected by a cross bar or member.

3. A lacing-hook having a spring extending from its shank to its outer part and adapted to directly receive lacing Wound about the hook, said spring having side arms connected by a cross bar or member, and a recess in the outer part 9 of the hook to receive said crossbar.

4. A lacing-hook having a springextending from its shank to its outer part and adapted to directly receive lacing Woundabout the hook, said spring having a coil in the hook- Shank.

5. Avlacing-hook having a spring extending from its shank to its outer part and adapted to directly receive lacing Wound about the hook, said spring having a coil in the hookshank, and an extension beyond the coil to bear on the shank and hold the spring to its Work.

6. A lacing-hook having a spring extending from Vits shank to its outer part and adapted to directly receive lacing Wound about the' hook, said spring having a rounded guard to prevent chafing the lacing.

'7. A lacing-hook'having a spring extending from its shank toits outer part and adapted -to directly receive lacing' wound about the hook, said spring having a rounded guard integral with the spring-arms.'

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

A FRED HOLMES BEES.

Witnesses:

BOYD MODOWELL, MAUDE WELLsoN. 

